'Hobo dinners' at home -- easy as pie

STURGIS, Mich. -- When you get busy, there isn't always time to stand around a grill.

Corky Emrick

When you get busy, there isn't always time to stand around a grill.

Many years ago, I learned one of the greatest inventions to cook with was foil. During Boy Scouts cookouts, we packed "hobo dinners" with our favorite meat and vegetables, tossed it in the fire and 30 minutes later enjoyed our feast.

I've taken the concept one step further. If it can be wrapped, it can be tossed on the grill. This isn't rocket science. You can add or take way to fit your taste.

Foil dinners can be made fun. Let the kids make their own. This is a great way to get kids into grilling. Remember, there is a lot of steam inside these packets, so be careful when opening.

To get you started, here are several recipes:

Chicken and ham

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 1/4 cups water, divided

1 package (6-ounce) stuffing mix

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 1/2 inch thick

4 slices ham, chopped

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup frozen peas

Aluminum foil

Mix soup and 1/4 cup of the water and set aside. Combine stuffing mix and remaining 1 cup water; spoon evenly onto center of each of six large sheets of heavy-duty foil. Top each with one chicken breast. Cover evenly with the ham, mushrooms, peas and soup mixture. Fold top and both ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place on grill and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut slits in foil with sharp knife to release steam before opening.

Rub both racks of ribs with rub. Wrap each with heavy-duty foil. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, remove ribs from refrigerator and let stand in their wrappings until they reach room temperature. Place ribs in foil on grill rack. Cover grill and cook ribs 1 hour, turning once. Carefully remove ribs and open. Pour barbecue sauce on ribs, reseal foil and cook for an additional 30 minutes, turning once.

Classic turkey hobo dinner

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 skinless, boneless turkey breast halves

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 large onions, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 large carrots, cut in 1/4-inch slices

2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 cups sliced button mushrooms

Stir together the vegetable oil, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, basil, and thyme in a bowl; set aside. Place one turkey breast in the center of foil square, top with potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Spoon 1/4 of the sauce on each and fold the foil around the ingredients to form four sealed packets. Grill the packets for 40 to 50 minutes

Sturgis (Mich.) Journal

Corky Emrick is a staff writer for the Journal. Contact him at emrick@sturgisjournal.com.